Automatic train-pipe coupling.



J. V. ROBINSON.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE COUPLING. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13. 1913.

1,245,782. I Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

9 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. V. ROBINSON.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13. I913.

Patented Nov. 0, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- JOSEPH V. ROBINSON, OF CHEVY CHASE, MARYLAIQ'D.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN-PIPE COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

Application filed June 13, 1913. Serial No. 773,559.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH V. RoBiNsoN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chevy Chase, Maryland, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Automatic Train-Pipe Couplings, of which the followingis a specification.

The objects of the present invention are to provide an automatic trainpipe couphng with means for securely locking the meeting faces of thecoupling members together, whereby a tight joint between the ports ofthe coupling members is secured; to provide a locking device which willoperate automatically for the purpose stated when the coupling membersare brought forcibly together and which will release automatically whenthe coupling members are separated;

. and to so construct the locking device that it will take up wearbetween the coupling faces and continue to secure them together afterconsiderable use. vention will appear from the following detailedspecification taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, inwhich,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one coupling member complete;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fi 4- Fig. 3 is a view of thatpart of the coupling which connects with the train pipe;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line .44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showinga modification of thelocking device; and F ig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of I te'ferringto Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawing, 10 indicates a bracket extendingdownward from the drawhead or other permanent part of a railway car and11 indicates a train pipe coupler base rigidly attached to the bracketby suitable means. The end coil or coils of a spring 12 are rigidlyconnected to the base 11 and the spring extends forwardly and flexiblysustains the coupler head 13. The spring is preferably tapered, asshown, and coiled from a tapered rod, the smaller coils of the springbeing thus of less cross section than the larger coils. The head 13 issecured on the end of a tube or pipe 14 which extends rearwardly throughthe spring 12 and freely through a central opening in the base 11. Thetube 14 1s preferably made in two parts, the rear port on 14 carryingthe ribs 15, as shown in Figs.

Other objects of the into a limited extent laterally and vertically.

In the drawing I have shown a single port in the coupling head and asingle tube extending rearwardly therefrom. In this construction thetube is intended for the brake air pipe, but additional ports for thesignal air and heating steam may be supplied without departing from thepresent invention. The coupling as above described excepting the tube14, 15, forms the subject-matter of applications heretofore filed and isnot claimed herein. I shall now proceed to describe my improvementsconstituting the present invention.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 4, 16 indicates a spring device having two lockingtongues 17 The device '16 has a central opening through which-the tube14 passes, the device .being free to slide on the tube. The tongues 17are bent forwardly and then outwardly as shown particularly in Fig. 4and they normally rest on the back of the coupling head with their outerends flush with the margin thereof. They are held in this position,normally, by the pressure of the spring 12,

the smaller end of which rests on the looking device, as shown in Figs.1 and 4.

When two coupling heads are brought together, the springs 12 arecompressed to a considerable degree and exert pressure upon the lockingdevices 16, tending to straighten them and forcing the tongues 17radially outward. Slots or openings 18 in the guides of the opposingcoupling member are so located that the tongues 17 move into them whentwo coupling members come together with sufficient force to cause thelooking devices 16 to yield. The outer ends of the tongues are so formedthat they tend to cam or pry the coupling heads together withconsiderable force and thus hold the bushings :0f the mating ports inthe coupling heads securely together. A further result of this action isthat no relative movement between coupling heads is permitted and wearis therefore largely prevented. The

position of the tongues 17 whentwo coupling members are locked is shownin Figs. 2 and 4.

As shown the openings 18 for the locking tongues are in the couplerguide wings 19 but these openings may be otherwise located if differentforms of guides are used. The inner sides of the openings in eachcoupler head are at a less distance from the coupler face than thethickness of the opposing coupler head, which permits the tongues tohold the coupler members tightly together even after the faces of thecouplings become somewhat worn. When cars are uncoupled the springs 12first expand as the pressure between the coupling members is relievedand each spring locking device 16 then resumes its normal bowedcondition, withdrawing the locking tongues 17 from the openings 18. Thelocking device is prevented from turning on the pipe 14 by means ofstops 20 on the back of the coupling head. it will be understood thateach of the two members constituting a complete coupling is furnishedwith the locking device 16 and with openings 18 to cooperate with thelocking device of the mating member.

In Figs. 5 and 6, there is shown another form of locking device whichcomprises a ring 21 encircling the tube orpipe 14 and two lockingtongues 22 hinged to the ring at opposite sides thereof. Springs 23press the tongues forward and give to this device the bowed form of thelocking device shown in Figs. 1 to 4. lhe smaller end of the spring 12isseated in the backof the ring 21 and a lighter spring 24 is arrangedbetween the ring 21 and the back of the coupler head 13. The spring 24holds the looking device normally in the position shown in Figs. 5 and6. When two coupling members are brought together the pressure of eachon' the other causes the spring 24 to yield and the ring 21 moves towardthe coupler head 13, forcing the locking tongues 22 radially outwardinto openings 18, similar to those shown in Figs. 1 and 4, thus lockingthe coupling heads together as previously described. As the headsseparate, in uncoupling, the spring 24 expands and withdraws the lockingtongues 22. The operation of the locking device shown in Figs. 5 and 6is substantially the same as that of the device shown in the remainingfigures of the drawings.

Having thus described my invention, what ll claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination of two matingcoupling members, each comprising a head having guides thereon, a tubeextending rearward from the head, a coiled spring surrounding the tubeand adapted to be compressed as the two coupling members come intoengagement, and a plurality of locking tongues supater/ea ported on andextending radially from the tube, between the head thereon and thesupporting spring, and adapted to be projected into engagement with theother coupling member when the supporting spring is compressed as thecoupling members come into coupling relation.

2. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination with two matingcoupling members each having a head and guides thereon, a bracket inrear of each head, a sectional tube connected with each head andextending rearwardly through the adjacent bracket, the rear section ofsaid tube having longitudinally extending ribs 15 engaging the bracketto prevent rotation of the coupling head, a spring surrounding the tubebetween each bracket and the adjacent coupling head, and a lockingdevice carried by each member and adapted to engage the other member ofthe coupling when said members are brought together in service.

3. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination with two matingcoupling members each having a head and guides thereon, of a lockingdevice at the back of the head and being bowed away from said head, thesaid device having spring tongues adapted to move radially outward, andthe opposing member having openings to receive said tongues.

4. In an automatic train pipe coupling,

the combination-with two mating couphng.

members eachhaving a head and guides thereon, of tubes extendingrearward from the heads, a locking device arranged at the back of aheadof one of the members and having an opening through which the tubepasses, and said devices havin tongues adapted to move radially outwarwhen the coupling members are brought together, under pressure, andmeans on the opposing coupling member with which said tongues cooperateto lock the heads of the coupling members securely together. i

5. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination with two matingcoupling members each having a head and guides'thereon, of tubessupporting the heads, coiled springs supporting the ends of the tubes towhich the heads are connected, a normally bowed spring locking device atthe back of one of the heads and having an opening through which thetube passes, spring tongues on said locking device, and means on theopposin head with which said tongues interlock w en the coupling membersare brought together in service, the spiral supporting spring beingarranged to bear directly upon the locking device.

6. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination with two matingcoupling members each having a head and guides thereon, of a lockingdevice carried byone member in the rear of the head thereof andcomprising bowed tongues extending radially outward and openings in theguides of the opposing member arranged to receive said tongues when thecoupling members are brought together in service whereby the heads ofthe opposing members are securely locked together.

7. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination with two matingcoupling members each having a head and guides thereon, of tubularmembers extending rearward from the heads, spiral supporting springssurrounding the said members, a locking device on each member arrangedintermediate the spiral supporting spring and back of the head, saidlocking device being normally and resiliently held in bowed form andbeing provided with tongues which move radially outward when pressure isbrought to bear on the devices, the said spiral supporting springs beingarranged to act upon "said locking devices to operate the same.

8. In an automatic train pipe coupling, a

coupling member comprising a tubular supdevice being adapted to beoperated by pressure on said spiral spring, and to be released when thepressure of the spiral spring is withdrawn.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH V. ROBINSON.

Witnesses:

EARLE A. BARKER, J. A. WATSON.

